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How to Limit Screen Time on a Limited Budget

When your funds are low but your screen-free ambitions are high, you’ll have to get creative.

By Kristin LouisPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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There are many ways to limit the amount of time your children’s eyes are exposed to screens and devices, but most of the cost an arm and a leg. You could go to the movies, but then you have to buy $12 popcorn and an $8 soda. Visit a museum? Unless you can find a free admission day, that’s another $50 or more for the family. When your funds are low but your screen-free ambitions are high, you’ll have to get creative.

Why Should I Limit My Child’s Screen Time?

It doesn’t matter if you have a toddler or a teen — your children shouldn’t spend hours on end in front of a phone or computer. For young children, relying too much on digital tools can inhibit their emotional and social development. Yes, it’s much easier to give a cranky 3-year-old a tablet to watch Paw Patrol while you’re waiting for your food at a restaurant, but that can hurt their ability to self-regulate. Michael Mintz, PsyD. notes that this is just one area where too much TV and telephone time can hurt a growing child. Then there are dangers for teens, such as texting and driving and online predators, to worry about.

Affordable Alternative to Technology

Team Sports

Far too many children spend more time on the couch than they do with a baseball bat in their grip or with soccer cleats on their feet. This is sad for many reasons, the least of not which is that sports — particularly team sports — can improve their physical health as well as their self-esteem. The Marine Corps Community Services organization also notes that sports can relieve stress and help your children develop long-term healthy habits.

Drones

Although this suggestion does include a form of modern technology, it’s the type that will get your kids off the couch and outside for some fresh air. Drones have become all the rage as of late, and as the tech advances, they become more accessible for children of all ages. In addition to being an absolute blast to use, drones help children develop skills in risk assessment. Fortunately, many models are designed for children, which means they’re safer and more durable than their more technologically advanced counterparts. However, before investing any money in a drone, make sure you pick one that’s built to last.

Backyard Oasis

Of course, playing on a sports team is not always an option. But if you have a backyard, you have an opportunity to let your kids soak up the sun instead of the blue light from their screens. You don’t have to have a huge budget to set up an outdoor playground that will delight children of all ages. Look at your yard to make sure that you have enough space, and then look for equipment that doesn’t require much in the way of maintenance.

If your budget prevents buying anything new, HomeAdvisor asserts that all you really need is a hill and some imagination to entertain and engage. In the winter, a sloped backyard can easily become a sliding paradise; during the summer, $50, some kitchen soap, a tarp, and water is all you need to entertain four hours.

Arts and Crafts

Last, we come to arts and crafts. Letting your children play in the paint can help them develop their problem-solving skills while having a bit of fun. Finger painting, making macaroni jewelry, and sculpting clay figures are all low-tech alternatives that double as an awesome opportunity for bonding. If you have older children, there are plenty of crafts that cater to teens and tweens that they’ll actually enjoy doing. Most won’t cost you much more than a few supplies and items you probably already have around the house.

This is certainly not a full list of ways to limit your children’s screen time. However, hopefully, you can build upon these and find ways that you and your entire family can step away from technology for a few hours each day. The best part is that each of the above is affordable, fun, and can be catered to preschoolers and high schoolers alike.

Image via Pexels

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